The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today released the 2020-2024 Capital Plan that proposes investing $51.5 billion into the region’s subways, buses and railroads over the next five years to institutionalize and build on the progress of the Subway Action Plan and create a faster, more accessible, and more reliable public transportation system. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

By: Edward Raymond

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today released the 2020-2024 Capital Plan that proposes investing $51.5 billion into the region’s subways, buses and railroads over the next five years to institutionalize and build on the progress of the Subway Action Plan and create a faster, more accessible, and more reliable public transportation system.

The proposed level of investment is by far the highest in the MTA’s history, increasing spending on infrastructure by 70% over current levels, which were already the highest ever, the group said. The program plans to invest more than $40 billion in New York City Transit’s subways and buses alone – including crucial signal upgrades – as well as major investment in the Long Island Railroad and Metro-North.

“This proposed 2020-2024 Capital Program – the most ambitious capital plan in the agency’s history – builds on the success of the Subway Action Plan, and with new tools such as Design-Build and the reorganization that is underway we’re certain we can deliver for our customers,” said Patrick J. Foye, MTA Chairman & CEO, in a release. “This plan expands service, increases reliability, speeds up the system, and delivers the world’s largest ever investment in accessibility, for both NYC Transit and the MTA’s commuter railroads, and at the end of this five-year period, New Yorkers will see a revitalized and modern system for the 21st century and beyond.”

This plan represents “an extraordinary investment in the North America’s largest transit network,” said Ronnie Hakim, MTA Managing Director. “It is ambitious yet sound, and will allow us to make crucial enhancements to the system and improve the experience for our riders daily.”

The program proposes to invest more than $40 billion in New York City Transit’s subways and buses alone. The proposed capital program will modernize the subways by adding capacity, increasing reliability, and accelerating accessibility. The program includes full funding for Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway from a mixture of federal and local sources. Systemwide priority initiatives funded by the plan include signal modernization, new subway cars, station accessibility, station improvements, and track replacement.

“These proposed investments in our subways and buses have delivered beyond my wildest expectations,” said MTA New York City Transit President Andy Byford. “The system has been stabilized and this capital plan offers us an extraordinary opportunity to now modernize it and provide world-class transit options to New Yorkers in an unprecedented time frame, and as we move forward we will rise to that challenge on behalf of our customers.”